Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children, seen marching downtown in 2021, is spearheading an initiative to keep the city homicide count under 100 this year. Photo: Stephen Zenner/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Homicides in Columbus are down 58% so far in 2024 compared to the same period last year, one of the largest drops of any major U.S. city with publicly available data.
Why it matters: This is a major reversal from the past few years, when Columbus suffered from record rates of violent crime.
State of play: Homicides surged during the pandemic, with a record 175 killings reported in 2020 and over 200 in 2021.
- Homicides dropped in 2022, but a 2023 jump was fueled by a spike in domestic violence cases.
By the numbers: The Columbus Division of Police recorded 22 murders this year through April 15, per data shared with Axios, the lowest year-to-date total in at least eight years.
- This is far below 2021 (61 by April 15) and 2023 (52).
- Seventeen of the 22 homicide victims this year were Black men, nearly all of whom were killed with firearms.
What they're saying: Deputy Chief Smith Weir, who leads the criminal investigations subdivision, told Axios he and other police leaders review these numbers every day, looking for trend lines.
- Weir is glad to see noticeable improvement so far this year.
Yes, but: "This is certainly not a victory lap," he said, adding this is just one quarter's worth of data.
- And the positive momentum does not diminish the mourning of 22 people killed, Weir acknowledged.
Between the lines: Crime rates are impacted by so many different variables and no one aspect is driving the recent decline, Weir continued.
- He said detectives are undergoing more intensive training on solving homicides, which can get repeat criminals off the streets and hopefully prevent some future killings.
- Weir also credited the community for "stepping up," especially the group Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children.
Zoom in: The group has promoted Operation Under Triple Digits, a citywide initiative to keep this year's homicide count under 100.
- Columbus hasn't accomplished that in years, but is so far on pace.
The big picture: Our local decline comes as the U.S. is on track to see one of the lowest levels of violent crime and homicides since President Obama was in office.
- Murders declined by 20% on average across 214 cities during the first three months of 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to AH Datalytics, a criminal justice consulting firm.
The last word: Weir said the police department will be adding security at parks starting later this spring, as it has done in previous years.
- The goal is to make this year's downward homicide trend a new normal.
- "Our work is not done. We've still got more work to do."
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